RLP 386: Disappearing Act: John Royston Apprentice (1750 – after 1814)

Diana and Nicole begin the episode by chatting about what they have been working on in their research. Diana then introduces the main topic, the fascinating case of John Royston, an ancestor who ran away as a 19-year-old apprentice in Virginia in 1770. They discuss the detailed advertisement placed in The Virginia Gazette by his master, Samuel Daniel, which provides a physical description, a list of his clothes, and mentions his skills as a chair maker and blacksmith. Diana shares how she uses AI tools to generate images based on the ad's description and, more importantly, to add historical context.

The hosts discuss the information Diana gathered from AI regarding the apprentice system in Colonial Virginia and the significance of John's clothing—a working-class frieze coat paired with a "new broadcloath waistcoat and breeches" of "pretty fine cloth." The AI's analysis suggests this attire points to John having a middle-class social status and that he planned his escape carefully to maintain a respectable appearance. Diana highlights how the 1770 advertisement is crucial for connecting John to his father, Richard Wyatt Royston, in the records of a "burned county." Listeners learn how to utilize a single, detailed historical record and modern AI tools to transform a seemingly "disappearing" ancestor into a well-contextualized person with a compelling story.

This summary was generated by Google Gemini.

Links

Disappearing Act: John Royston Apprentice (1750 – after 1814) - https://familylocket.com/disappearing-act-john-royston-apprentice-1750-after-1814/

The Virginia Gazette - March 15, 1770 (see page 4) - https://teacherresources.colonialwilliamsburg.org/API/Download/v1_0/GetOriginalLimited?Identifier=CW11851S

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Research Like a Pro Resources

Airtable Universe - Nicole's Airtable Templates - https://www.airtable.com/universe/creator/usrsBSDhwHyLNnP4O/nicole-dyer

Airtable Research Logs Quick Reference - by Nicole Dyer - https://familylocket.com/product-tag/airtable/

Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide book by Diana Elder with Nicole Dyer on Amazon.com - https://amzn.to/2x0ku3d

14-Day Research Like a Pro Challenge Workbook - digital - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-digital-only/ and spiral bound - https://familylocket.com/product/14-day-research-like-a-pro-challenge-workbook-spiral-bound/

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RLP Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-study-group/

Research Like a Pro Institute Courses - https://familylocket.com/product-category/institute-course/

Research Like a Pro with DNA Resources

Research Like a Pro with DNA: A Genealogist's Guide to Finding and Confirming Ancestors with DNA Evidence book by Diana Elder, Nicole Dyer, and Robin Wirthlin - https://amzn.to/3gn0hKx

Research Like a Pro with DNA eCourse - independent study course - https://familylocket.com/product/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-ecourse/

RLP with DNA Study Group - upcoming group and email notification list - https://familylocket.com/services/research-like-a-pro-with-dna-study-group/

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